Friday, 15 November 2013

Wedgy

This is my latest attempt to base some Thessalians in a convincing manner. I have another unit that has been based twice, and now needs to be re-based again, in the same style. These are the front six figures of a unit of nine. When complete the unit will be in the form of a rhombus, 19.5 cm long. As usual, Nick painted the minis very nicely, and I added shield decals, highlights and stained.


Below is the traffic jam on the painting tray.  These include Numidians, Scythians, Celts, Romans and a nellie!  There are so many minis that I want to paint, just now...


Monday, 11 November 2013

My fifth Blogiversary, and a new major project

My first ever blog post was on 8th November 2008, and I have realised that I have just passed my fifth Blogiversary! Since then, I appear to have made no fewer than 675 posts, and have had just over 570K page views. Can I offer a huge thanks to all of the visitors, who make this such an enjoyable activity! 


For my next major project, I've decided to assemble a second* Early Imperial Roman army from the delightful Foundry Perry range, based for Impetus (or my own "To the Strongest!" rules) on a 12cm frontage. Do 'ave a click!  I do like the look of Impetus basing.


With this army, I'm going for a deliberately wet, muddy look, based upon my impression of the opening scene of the film Gladiator.  All the miniatures will be pre-owned, purchased from eBay, and "tarted up" as described in my recent article in Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy Issue 69. I aspire to approximately 10 elements of legionaries, 6 of auxiliaries, 2 of Praetorians and 4 cavalry together with lights, generals and artillery. Even using pre-painted minis, this may take a little time...

*Ultimately there will also be a third, Aventine, late-Early Imperial army

Sunday, 10 November 2013

Pretty Cataphractii!

Adam very kindly sent me these pics of his painting of his own sculpts, I'm very taken with them!


The coifs are based on the Dura-Europos synagogue frescoes.


Lovely vibrant colours... and the painted shafts are very special!   The minis available from Aventine.

p.s. Couldn't resist adding these legionaries; one day I shall get around to this army!  I'd be delighted to paint half as well as Adam.


Friday, 8 November 2013

Chaeronea 86BC at the Wargames Holiday Centre

Yesterday the Mark at the Wargames Holiday Centre very kindly hosted a re-fight the battle of Chaeronea 86BC (i.e. not the better known earlier battle with Alexander and Phillip). This later battle fought between the forces of Mithridates' Pontic army, and Sulla's veteran Roman legions, in Greece in 86 BC.

I won't go into too many details, as the piece will hopefully shortly feature in a wargames magazine, along with some other photos I took, but I can't resist posting a few (clickable) snaps...

View from behind the Pontic left.  Chaeronea is on the skyline, and the smaller temple is on Mount Thurium
The Roman army was much smaller than the Pontic, but largely composed of bloodthirsty veterans.  The Pontic army included scythed chariots and a phalanx of freed Roman slaves; more than likely the last phalanx ever deployed on an ancient battlefield.

Scythed chariots charge...
Harry, eldest scion of the Miller family, and I led the Pontics against Mark and Paul's Romans.  The flow of the game was all-too historical, as the Roman veterans first routed our flank detachment, and then smashed our phalanx with a combination of frontal and flank attacks.  It was very entertaining though.  We used my "To the Strongest!" card-driven rules; the card play was very entertaining, especially when units got to make multiple attacks (as with Sulla below).

Sulla and his cavalry bodyguard got on my flank, turned, and rode down one phalanx after another
The last-surviving Pontic slave phalanx, completely surrounded by the Romans...
Eventually the final phalanx succumbed (above), and our army routed.  As a small compensation, though, it had bought time for my Scythian light cavalry to loot the Roman camp!

Mark was a very kind host and I hope to visit the Wargames Holiday Centre again, next year...

Tuesday, 5 November 2013

I am playing a game tonight (and another at the Wargames Holiday Centre, tomorrow), that needs 10' of hills, and was 6' short.  Luckily I remembered that I bought some GW hills a few years back.  Looking in the loft, I found 3 unopened boxes, with 6' of hills in them!  A big  +1 for hoarding.


The painting tray has been reloaded with an eclectic mix of Indians, Scythians, Numidians and Celts.


The odd selection is because it occurred to me recently, that I have completed 35 units this year.  There would be a certain symmetry in completing 52 in 52 weeks...   I have a lot of painted minis that need basing or units that are an element under strength, and could easily be finished.   The two "santas" will finish off the Scyhtina unit in the foreground, for example.  I'm going to give it a go... 

Monday, 4 November 2013

Rump of the British chariots

Here are the rump of the first wave of chariots.


Above, chariot 3 from behind.  This one is entirely Wargames Factory, except for Foundry horses.


Above and below, chariot 4.  Factory passenger, Foundry driver, Newline ponies.



Above, chariot 5.  Renegade passenger.  This one is designed to be viewed from behind; it'll face away from the Romans and depict a retreating chariot- the plan is that the chariots will be going in all directions...


Above 6; all Factory, except Foundry horses.


Above 7.  Possibly my favourite; Black Tree charioteer (generously donated by Streetline), and Renegade passenger. The chariot colours on this one, are lovely .   


And finally number 8.  Foundry passenger.  The Green came out very well.

The Wargames Factory chariots, as supplied, are not very realistic, but there is a lot of really good material in the box, once the less useful bits have been discarded. A huge thanks to Nick Speller who painted all of the riders, his tartan is superb! One last special chariot to follow tomorrow or Thursday....

Sunday, 3 November 2013

Chariots 1 and 2


The chariots are finally finished, and I've grabbed a few snaps. This one, I've imaginatively named "Chariot 1"! It includes parts from Relic (wheels), Newline (ponies), Wargames Factory (sitting crewman) and Wargames Foundry (standing).


Nick painted the crew, and I painted the rest.


Chariot 2 has some Black Tree nags, donated (some years ago) by Streetline. The crewmen are Factory and, I believe, Renegade.

I'm hard pressed for time today, but will post the others tomorrow and Tuesday!